1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device and a method for repeatedly updating the function of a monitor, and more particularly to a device and a method for repeatedly updating the function of a monitor by using universal serial bus signal lines for signal transmission.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a current monitor system, a monitor controller must be exchanged when function modifying or debugging, resulting in high cost consumed. As to a further advanced monitor system, a corresponding monitor controller has a build-in read only memory (ROM) which is an erasable programmable read only memory. By updating data stored in the erasable programmable read only memory, function modification and debugging can be achieved.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional monitor is shown. The monitor has a total of 18 VGA signal lines electrically coupled to a VGA card, which includes a vertical synchronous signal (Vsync) line, a horizontal synchronous signal (Hsync) line, a serial data (SDA) line, a serial clock (SCL) line, a ground (Gnd) line, a red (R) line, a green (G) line and a blue (B) line. During a normal operation, a monitor controller 10 having a ROM is electrically coupled to a horizontal and vertical deflection device 20 via a first jumper 14 and to an on screen display 50 via a second jumper 16. The monitor controller 10 is electrically coupled to the a voltage source (5 V) via a power supply jumper 12. The Hsync, Vsync, SDA, SCL and Gnd signal lines are electrically coupled to the monitor controller 10 for driving the horizontal and vertical deflection device 20 according to a received signal and a program stored in the ROM and further controlling a vertical booster (Vert. Booster) 30 and a horizontal booster (Hori. Booster) 40 for CRT horizontal and vertical controls. A on screen display driving circuit 50 is used to put control ICON to a video pre-amplifier 60. After that, the R, G, B signals are transmitted to a video amplifier 70 from the video pre-amplifier 60 and then displayed on a display (not shown).
When it is necessary to modify the function of the monitor system, data stored in the ROM of the monitor controller 10 needs to be updated. First, the case of the monitor must be opened. Then, the first jumper 14 and the second jumper 16 are switched to electrically connect the monitor controller 10 to a recording connector 80 and a voltage source (12 V). Next, a ROM writer (not shown) is electrically coupled to the recording connector 80 for data update.
Referring now to FIG. 2, a conventional system being able to update the function of a monitor is shown. After opening the case of a monitor 100, the recording connector 80 and the VGA signal line 18 can be found on a printed circuit board 110. The first jumper 14, the second jumper 16 and the power supply jumper 12 which can be found on a jumper region 22 are switched. In a memory recording system 90, a ROM writer 92 is controlled by a computer 94 and a display 96 is used to monitor the condition of recording. Finally, the ROM writer 92 is electrically coupled to the recording connector 80 for recording the ROM of the monitor controller 10 using the computer 94 thereby to update the monitor system.
Obviously, it is really inconvenient to update the monitor system because the case of the conventional monitor must be opened, first and then jumpers are switched for recording the erasable programmable read only memory of the monitor controller 10.
Today, monitors have been speedily developed. Especially, liquid crystal displays have been mass produced. To increase the speeds of the operation of monitors, universal serial bus (hereinafter, referred to as USB) is used for signal transmission. Referring to FIG. 3, a block circuit diagram of a monitor system having USB signal lines is shown. In addition to conventional VGA signal lines 18, USB signal lines 19 are further used to replace serial data and serial clock signals on the VGA signal lines 18. The USB signal lines 19 includes a power source Vcc, a ground Gnd and two data signal lines D+, Dxe2x88x92. The data signal lines D+, Dxe2x88x92 are used to transmit monitor command data. The speed of the USB can be increased up to 1.2 M Bps. As a result, the speed of the operation of the monitor can be greatly increased.
Similarly, it causes inconvenience when the monitor system is updated because it is necessary to open the case of the monitor and to switch jumpers for recording the erasable programmable read only memory of the monitor controller 10.
The invention is to provide a device and a method for updating the function of a monitor. For a monitor having a USB interface, a USB signal line is used to transmit and record data of a monitor controller to erasable programming read only memory thereby to achieve data update.
A device for updating the function of a monitor according to the invention includes USB signal lines, a detecting device, a starting device, a ROM recording command decoder, a ROM and a recovery device. The USB signal lines is used to transmit a recording command and recorded data. The detecting device is electrically coupled to the USB signal lines for detecting and outputting the recording command and the recorded data. The starting device is electrically coupled to the detecting device for receiving the recording command and the recorded data and then transmitting the recording command and the recorded data when the starting device is switched from a visual path to a recording path. The ROM recording command decoder is used to convert the recording command into a erase/read/write signal and the recorded data into a address signal and a data signal by switching the starting device to the recording path. The ROM is electrically connected to the ROM recording command decoder, of which data can be updated according to the address signal, the data signal and the erase/read/write signal. The recovery device is electrically coupled to the ROM recording command decoder and the starting device for determining whether the data stored in the ROM are already updated according the address signal, the data signal and the read/write signal and for switching the starting device from the recording path to the visual path when the data of the ROM are already updated.
A system for updating the function of a monitor according to the invention includes a recording device, USB signal lines and a monitor controller. The recording device is used to store and output a recording command and recorded data. The USB signal lines are electrically coupled to the recording device for transmitting the recording command and the recorded data. The monitor controller having a monitor in-system programming memory is electrically coupled to the USB signal lines, for modifying the monitor controller according to the recording command and the recorded data.
A method for updating the function of a monitor according to the invention includes the following steps: (a) checking USB multi-setting command check to determine whether the signals on the USB signal lines are correct? (b) setting the monitor into a monitor in-system programming mode? (c) reading and determining a recording command; and (d) reading recorded data and writing the recorded data in a memory and performing step (c) when the recording command is a write command; (e) performing step (a) when the recording command is in a non-monitor in-system programming mode.